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Geoenvironmental Studies

Geoenvironmental Studies is the most popular major in the Geography and Earth Science Department, and
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a growing, in-demand program. The undergraduate program in geoenvironmental sciences is designed to produce broadly trained scientists with a holistic understanding of the environment, with an emphasis on Geotechnology (GIS and GPS) and practical experience (field research, internships).

Geoenvironmental Studies at Ship

Geoenvironmental studies is the study of air, land, and water resources. The field integrates the study of the physical and cultural aspects of the environment into a meaningful framework to solve environmental problems with an emphasis on technology, fieldwork, and employment.

Shippensburg University is well known for the quality of its academic program in geoenvironmental studies. The Association of American Geographers ranked the department as one of the country’s top ten undergraduate departments. Many graduates of the geoenvironmental studies program hold jobs in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Spatial analysis is extremely important in geoenvironmental studies. All areas of employment are using geographic information systems (GIS) to portray and analyze data. A variety of computer mapping and analysis courses are available from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Department of Geography/Earth Science. Such courses may include GIS, cartography, remote sensing, quantitative methods, and image processing.

Admission and Degree Requirements

The high school college-preparatory program should provide the basic foundation for majoring in geoenvironmental studies. A good background in the natural sciences, computer science, social sciences, and well-developed communication skills will be of great value. Work experience in any area of the environmental sciences is desirable.

Majors complete the required 48 credits of general education, receiving background in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, history, English, and communication skills. These general education courses compliment discipline-specific courses in earth science, geography, and a variety of natural sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, and mathematics. Students can also choose from a wide variety of minor fields of study.

Careers in Geoenvironmental Studies

Employers in the environmental field increasingly recognize the need for broadly trained environmental scientists who can bridge the gap between social science (geography, planning, land use), physical science (geology, hydrology, geomorphology), and aspects of natural systems. Geoenvironmental studies combines the background of geography and earth science to understand the earth’s environmental systems.

Geoenvironmental studies is a growing area of employment. It is estimated during the next decade that over 600,000 new jobs will be created in environmental sciences in the United States. The improvement of air, land, and water resources is one of the crucial issues facing the US today. Government and business leaders are increasingly adding employees to help with the improvement of environmental quality, environmental impact assessment, and conservation programs.

Most geographers and earth scientists work in one of five basic career fields:

Business

Government

Teaching

Planning

Consulting

Within these fields, they are called upon for their expertise in such areas as selecting favorable locations for capital investments, developing effective strategies for corporate or governmental planning, environmental planning and land use analysis, geology and atmospheric studies, cartography, computer applications, geographic information systems, and educating all age groups about proper use of our environment.

Get Involved

The department has a
strong internship program where students obtain practical experience. In some cases, an internship develops into full-time employment after graduation. An
alumni network can assist students in the job selection process, too. The high caliber of work done by Shippensburg interns has enabled the university to establish and maintain internships with governmental and private agencies such as: